Sugar, Spice, and Shifters: A Touch of Holiday Magic

by Élianne Adams

  When the time finally came, she rushed through dinner with her grandparents, practically giddy with excitement. Her grandparents had given her odd looks as she’d skipped from the table and into her bedroom, but they hadn’t commented—the patience of the elderly was legendary and they were clearly willing to wait until she spilled the beans, no matter how curious they were. Although, since her grandparents did own the lodge, it was entirely possible that one of the staff had already told them about her and Dawson. A blush slid up her cheeks at the very idea, but she refused to give in. She would tell them about him when she was ready.

  Jade arrived at the restaurant at eight o'clock on the dot, wearing a glittering red dress with a low-cut neckline, white stockings, and matching red snow boots. She’d added a white bow to her hair, and she thought she looked very festive, especially with the Christmas tree earrings dangling from her lobes.

  “Wow.” Dawson’s eyes glittered with appreciation as he took her in. He was waiting for her on the porch outside the restaurant, dressed in a Christmas green sweater and jeans. He wore a pair of fake antlers on his head, which were no doubt being given out by the organizers of the event. “You look like a hot Mrs. Claus.”

  “And you look like Rudolph.” She tweaked his windburned nose, which was surprisingly warm to the touch despite the frigid wind, then raised up on her tip-toes to wrap her arms around his neck.

  “You up to riding a reindeer tonight, Mrs. Claus?” he asked, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.

  Heat spiraled through her to curl low in her belly, and she shivered with the combination of desire and excitement.

  “We’ll see.” She settled back down onto her heels, and then gave his butt a quick squeeze before heading in through the doors.

  The staff had partitioned the front of the restaurant off from the back so that people could continue to come and eat during regular hours. Jade looked around the room as they passed through the partition, taking in the space. The event planners had gotten rid of all the small tables and chairs and replaced them with long, rectangular tables that lined the edges of the room, laden with food and Christmas-style sweets. Christmas decorations covered the walls—twinkling stars, snowflakes and trees—and there was a tree in one corner, a smaller version of the one in the lodge’s foyer. There were folding chairs available for people to sit on the sidelines and talk if they wished but the remainder of the space had been taken up by dancing couples and friends.

  “They've already started the karaoke.” Dawson had to shout to be heard above the music as a couple of cheer-filled singers belted out “Jingle Bell Rock” next to the karaoke DJ, set up on the far right side of the room. “Let’s hurry and claim a song.”

  “A song?” Jade echoed, digging in her heels as Dawson tried to drag her over to signup. “Umm, I don’t really sing.”

  He turned and for a moment she was worried he was going to belittle her. Her friends and family always bullied her into doing a song even though she really wasn’t a great singer. But, Dawson only smiled. “Then I’ll sing and you’ll watch.”

  Jade went to get food and drinks as Dawson went to put his song in the jar, and she returned a moment later with a plate of green and red Christmas cupcakes and two glasses of spiked egg nog.

  “So, what song did you pick?” she asked as she handed him his share.

  “That’s for me to know and you to find out.” His eyes twinkled over the rim of his plastic cup as he sipped his egg nog.

  Jade wrinkled her nose playfully. “That doesn’t seem very fair.”

  Dawson only smiled. “Thankfully there weren’t too many people ahead of us, so you should find out soon.” He gestured to the dance floor. “Why don’t we go and join these fine people?”

  “I can get behind that.” Jade might not have been much of a singer, but she did love to dance. Happily, she set aside their half-eaten food and drinks and followed Dawson out on the dance floor. It turned out that he was as good a dancer as she was, and they danced along to several lively tunes, shimmying and bopping and even twirling each other around for some of them.

  Eventually, though, someone grabbed the microphone, and the strains for “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” began filtering out of the speakers. Instantly, couples paired off together, and Dawson slipped his hands around her waist and shoulder and pulled her close.

  “Time for a slow dance,” he murmured against her ear, and her heart beat a little faster as his chest pressed against hers.

  The singer, an older man with a strong voice, lifted the microphone to his lips, and sang in a pleasant tenor:

  “I’m dreaming tonight of a place I love

  Even more than I usually do

  And although I know it’s a long road back

  I promise you,

  I’ll be home for Christmas

  You can count on me

  Please have snow and mistletoe

  And presents by the tree.”

  “Hmm.” Dawson’s lips brushed lightly against Jade’s ears. “Would you look at that.” His head tilted skyward, and he paused in their steps.

  Jade looked up, too, and blushed at the sight of a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. She’d seen a couple dance beneath it earlier and stop for a smooch, but she’d completely forgotten about it.

  “I guess we have to kiss,” she murmured, looking up into Dawson’s deep silver eyes.

  “I guess so.” He dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers, sending a rush of anticipation through her. His hands tightened around her waist, and she slid her fingers through his thick, wavy hair, savoring the feel of his lips against hers. She inhaled deeply, taking in his musky scent as he teased the seam of her lips with his tongue before opening to receive him.

  Someone’s sleeve brushed against her back as they passed, but she hardly noticed as Dawson’s tongue stroked the inside of her mouth. Her blood simmered with lust, her nipples tightening beneath her dress, and she knew he felt them scrape against his chest by the way he stiffened beneath her. Her breath caught as his erection brushed against her hip, and her fingers tingled as she resisted the urge to stroke him through his jeans.

  Somehow they lost track of time because the next thing she knew the song had ended and the DJ was calling Dawson’s name. “We’ll pick this up another time,” he promised, a wicked glint in his eye, and then he drew away to join the DJ by the mic.

  Sexual frustration simmered inside of Jade, but she couldn’t very well yank Dawson away from the microphone and drag him back to his cabin—though that was exactly what her aching body wanted her to do. So, instead, she took a chair near enough to the DJ that she could see Dawson without being too close to the speakers, and waited.

  Dawson tapped the mic, then cleared his throat, looking around the room. “This one is for a very special woman,” he said, his voice low and slightly rough. His silver eyes found Jade’s, and her heart leapt into her throat as he started singing in a rich baritone:

  “Oh the weather outside is frightful

  But the fire is so delightful

  And since we've no place to go

  Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”

  A grin curled the corners of Jade’s lips as she sat, completely enchanted by Dawson’s gorgeous voice. And by the looks of the ladies who’d stopped to watch him sing, she wasn’t the only one. But his eyes didn’t even flicker toward them—they stayed on her.

  “When we finally kiss good night

  How I’ll hate going out in the storm!

  But if you’ll really hold me tight

  All the way home I’ll be warm.”

  He winked at her then, and she blushed. Slowly, one by one, other people started joining in and singing, too. Classic songs like this were always infectious, especially when sung by someone with a good voice, and she even found herself rocking back and forth in the chair and singing along with everyone else, smiling shyly as Dawson grinned at her.

  “The fire is slowly dying

&nbs
p; And, my dear, we're still goodbying

  But as long as you love me so

  Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”

  The room burst into applause, and Dawson took a bow, then handed the mic back to the DJ who announced his name to the room again and congratulated him. Jade hung back to let him have his moment of fame as people came up to high five and compliment him, but she didn’t have long to wait. Soon he was cutting a swathe through the crowd, his shining grey eyes on hers.

  “Did you like it?” he asked as he took her into his arms.

  “You were amazing.” She leaned up to press her lips to his. “I didn’t know you had such a good voice. I’m a lucky woman to have someone like you who’s hot and talented.”

  He chuckled against her mouth. “Let’s get back to the cabin so I can show you just how lucky you are.”

  They practically raced down the snow-covered hill, hand in hand and laughing like loons. But as soon as they were inside, Dawson’s eyes turned molten and he shoved her against the door, his mouth already on hers. Her heart thumped hard against his chest as they both scrambled to pull each other’s clothing off, coats and gloves and sweaters falling to the floor.

  “Bed,” Jade moaned against his mouth as his bare chest brushed against her skin. He was burning hot.

  Grunting in agreement, Dawson picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, his mouth never leaving hers. His body pressed her into the mattress, warm and heavy, and she reveled in the sensation of his hard muscles molding against her curves. His hands slid down to tug her panties off, and she helped him as best as she could with his tongue in her mouth and her hands sliding down his chest, lifting her legs so that he could loop the garment over her ankles.

  He trailed a blazing path down her body with his mouth, stopping to nip and tongue at her nipples before continuing across her belly and down between her legs. Her breath caught when he spread her thighs and hooked them over his shoulders, anticipation racing through her, a whimper escaping when his hot breath ghosted over her aching folds.

  “I want to taste you,” he growled, his silver eyes gleaming bright in the lamplight.

  “Yes,” she moaned in agreement, lifting her hips so that her flesh came into contact with his mouth. She moaned as his tongue slid across her folds, up and down and in between, exploring her most private place, and she twined her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp in encouragement. A strangled sound echoed from her lips as his tongue flicked over her clit, once, twice, then again, and he chuckled, sending vibrations through her.

  “More,” she begged.

  He bit down on the sensitive nub, and she cried out, her hips jolting off the bed. Once he started, his attack was relentless. He sucked and nibbled, teased and tortured, bringing her to the brink of orgasm and back again until her skin shone with sweat under the lamplight and her limbs trembled. Her nails dug into his scalp until they drew blood, and then, only then, when she was begging uncontrollably, did he let her have her release.

  “Dawson,” she sobbed happily as the orgasm crashed over her, blinding her with wave upon wave of pleasure. Her release was so great she was rendered temporarily blind and deaf, so when she drifted back down to Earth, Dawson was already looming over her, his knees nudging her legs wider. The tip of his cock teased her entrance, and she hissed as sparks of sensations skipped through her.

  “Do it,” she demanded, wrapping her fingers around his lean hips. “Now.”

  His expression turned fierce, and if not for the lust gleaming in his eyes, she might have been frightened—but it only turned her on more. She cried out as his length surged inside her. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she drew him closer to her as he pounded her, the bed creaking beneath their weight. The hairs on his chest teased her skin, and she moaned as her nipples scraped against his hard pectoral muscles.

  “God you feel good,” he growled in her ear.

  He crushed his mouth against hers, and she tugged on his lower lip with her teeth, then took his tongue inside her. She sucked on it hard as he continued to thrust, forcing her to groan at his heavy thickness within her.

  His hands slid beneath her to cup her ass, fingers digging in as he tilted her hips. She gasped as the angle allowed him to slide even deeper, hitting just the right spot, and she flew apart as another orgasm swept over her. Trembling, she screamed his name, her nails scraping his shoulder blades, and felt his cock pulse inside her as he came as well.

  God, would she ever get enough of this man? And did she really want to?

  SEVEN

  The morning sunlight filtered in through the curtains of Jade’s window, rousing her from a deep, restful sleep. Yawning, she stretched her arms wide, then felt a pang of disappointment when her fingers met bare sheets instead of hot, smooth skin poured over muscles.

  But then, she wasn’t in Dawson’s bedroom. She was in her grandparents’ guest bedroom, back at the lodge.

  Coming back had been the right thing to do, she’d told herself. Her grandparents would have been worried if she hadn’t returned. But, convincing herself to get out of the bed and leave had been one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do, especially after Dawson had rolled over and engaged her in a second bout of sex. And then a third. And a fourth.

  Damn, she really wished he was here in bed with her so she could go for a fifth.

  But then again, she was going to see him that very afternoon. They’d agreed to meet up at the slopes, and who was to say they couldn’t end their skiing session a little early so that they could warm up together…naked?

  Heat rushed through her at the very thought of sliding her naked limbs against his again. He’d felt so good, both inside and out, his muscles firm, his strong arms comforting and warm as they’d banded around her. Even when they hadn’t been having sex, he couldn’t seem to stop touching her. His hands would roam over her back, up and down, and across her butt. She didn’t think she’d ever enjoyed having a man squeeze her butt as much as she had last night. But somehow, the possessive gesture made her feel wanted rather than objectified, and she liked it.

  The lively sound of Puerto Rican music filtered in through the doorway, signifying that her Abuelita was up and getting started on breakfast. Jade arched her back, doing one last stretch, and then sat up so that she could get ready to go and eat breakfast with her grandparents by the time it was ready.

  Just as she was headed to the shower, her cell phone rang. Apprehension filled her as she turned towards the bedside table where it sat, buzzing, and she thought about ignoring it. But, her boss’s name flashed across the screen and she knew that if she sent him to voicemail, he would just keep calling until she answered.

  “Jade Garcia,” she answered, and then cleared her throat to smooth some of the sleep out of her voice.

  “Jade!” John Glen, the CEO of Blue Box Productions, burst out. As usual, his voice was full of frenetic excitement that was part enthusiasm and part anxiety—the first trait a necessity to survive in the industry, the second an inevitability of working back-breaking hours in order to sell cigarettes and expensive cars. “I’m so glad I caught hold of you. You need to come back right away.”

  Jade sighed. “Come on, John. I just got here. Can’t I at least enjoy a few more of my vacation days?”

  “Not when you're the director, you can’t.” John’s voice grew a little higher, and she could see him tugging on the collar of his pink dress shirt as he sat in his leather office chair. “We've got a huge problem. The client totally changed their mind about the commercial.”

  “What?” Jade’s legs went out from under her, and she collapsed back onto the bed. They’d just finished all the boarding and the scripts and the casting and were scheduled to start shooting directly after the holidays.

  “Do I sound like I’m kidding?” John snapped, and in that moment she knew that he wasn’t. He never snapped unless things were truly desperate. “You've got to come back to the studio, Jade. Tonight, if possible.”

>   “Jesus,” she muttered, launching herself onto her feet again. “What a fucking nightmare. Alright, I’m on my way, John. Just send me the brief, or whatever it is you have from the client, so I can look it over, okay?”

  “Thanks, doll. You're the best.”

  She tossed the phone onto her bed and stomped into the shower, fuming. This was hardly the first time a client had changed their mind about a commercial at the last minute. It happened all the time, and they dealt with it. But, the fact that they were pulling this shit during the holidays while she was on vacation was too much. She’d known that she’d probably have to go back to the studio at some point to tie up some loose ends here and there on various projects but having to go back and essentially redo months of prep-work? If the client wasn’t such a big one, she would have told John to tell them to go fuck themselves. As it was, if John didn’t charge them a hefty fee and give her a cut of it, she was definitely going to have words with him.

  When Jade stepped out of the shower, the scent of onions, eggs and spicy sausage laced the air of her bedroom, and her stomach rumbled. Client or not, she couldn’t pass up the chance for more food. She would at least sit down and have breakfast with her family first.

  “Good morning, Jade,” her Abuelita called as Jade stepped into the living room. Her grandmother’s eyes widened as she turned to see Jade fully dressed already. “Aren’t you having breakfast this morning?” she asked, disappointment coloring her tone.

  “Si, Abuelita.” Jade sat down at the table where heaping plates of rice and potatoes and eggs were already set out. Her grandmother was just finishing up the sausage. “But, I have to go back to LA afterward. My boss called and says he needs me.”

  “So soon?” her grandfather asked, coming through the doorway. His mustache and coat were covered in flecks of snow, indicating he’d already been outside. “But you just got here, nina.”

  Guilt burned inside Jade’s chest at the crestfallen look on her grandfather’s face. “I’m so sorry, Abuelito.” She stood up from the table so she could wrap her arms around his burly torso. “If I could stay longer, I would.” She forced a smile for him that she didn’t really feel, looking up into his weathered face. “Hopefully I’ll get this project done early and can be back to spend Christmas Day with you.”